Young Tory defectors find new home with Liberal Democrats

Several young former Conservative Party activists have publicly defected to the Liberal Democrats, citing a perceived shift to the right within their former party and a lack of welcome for centrist, remainer, and climate-conscious members. Cody Butler, who resigned as chair of the One Nation Conservative Network in July, and Josh Bancroft, a former Tory councillor, have joined the Liberal Democrats and are in the process of establishing a new group called the One Nation Liberals.

Butler described the move as "like finding a new family," acknowledging the personal significance of leaving a party he was raised in. Bancroft stated that "moderates like me have been forced out of the big tent over the past few years" as the Conservative Party has moved to the right, particularly under Kemi Badenoch's influence. Badenoch's warning that candidates supporting net zero targets or the European convention on human rights would be blocked from standing in the next election has been a key factor.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has welcomed these defectors, suggesting that Badenoch has become an effective recruiter for his party. He has contrasted the Liberal Democrats' commitment to climate action with Badenoch's stance on recent heatwaves. Despite the Liberal Democrats polling around 11%, activists and MPs are expressing optimism about consolidating their support in key constituencies, pointing to their 72 seats won in the last election and their second-place finishes in 20 Conservative-held seats. Davey has expressed ambition for the party to win "anywhere where there’s a multi-party fight" and has ruled out a future pact with the Conservatives, while suggesting that maximizing Liberal Democrat MPs would strengthen their hand in any future negotiations with Labour.